This summer Abdul Vas visited the Off-Road History Museum, in Sharjah, where he had the chance to see the world’s largest Hummer and take in the museum’s impressive collection of American cars, which allowed him to delve deep into a realm that forms part of his imaginative universe and that, once again, figures prominently in this new series.
In Legacy Trucks, the artist continues to develop this personal world of his, characterized by its unmistakable iconography. The new series, comprised of 12 paintings inspired by pickup trucks from brands like GMC, Hummer, and Cadillac, will be unveiled this December.
The series explores in greater depth some of the elements that have shaped his artistic journey, such as American car culture and rock aesthetics. Through these paintings, the artist takes vehicles — conceived as symbols of power, freedom, and excess — and transforms them into pieces brimming with personality and character, each boasting a strong visual presence.
Vas’s work does not follow contemporary art trends, nor is it based on any programmatic approach. A pioneer in melding the universe of rock music with contemporary art, this obsession spurred him to construct his own imaginary world, “Kippenland,” in which characters spawned by his imagination, references to popular culture, and elements from the world of rock converge.
IG:@abdulvasacdc
pencil on paper, 23 x 37 cm
